Try to Remember to Breathe
by aerisbolt
Summary: Ending of Alice, but what happened on Hatter's end of things. Just a fun little dribble I had in my head. Alice/Hatter
1. Chapter 1

Hello there! So I fell in love with Syfy's Alice and decided it would be fun to take another look at the ending, from Hatter's point of view. This is of course just a possible version of what happened once Alice was pushed through the glass. I hope you will enjoy it and as with anything that I am writing, feedback is much appreciated!

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or any part of Syfy's Original Miniseries Alice

* * *

_"You could always visit my world, you might like it."_

_"Yeah, we could do pizza."_

_"And lots of other things."_

And with that a man came and took her up to the looking glass.

He was frozen, trying to still wrap his head around every emotion he was feeling, panic, elation, confusion, dread...love...he could go on and on. Why did it feel like his legs were frozen?

"Just try to remember to breathe."

_Easier said then done pal._

She was gone, and he at least for the moment was completely at a loss on what to do.

"Eh? What the...why did you do that...like that?"

The man turned to face him with a perplexed look on his face.

"Sorry?"

"Are you? Well you should be. I was in the middle of a pretty serious conversation and you just waltz up here and take the lady without even a second thought!"

"Sir I am not following you..what?"

"You pushed her through the glass!"

"I was ordered to."

"Yeah and the guy who ordered you was standing right there, but was he yelling, was he freaking out at you to make her leave that very second?"

At this point Jack, or now the King started to walk towards him.

"Hatter, calm down."

"Calm down? You want me to calm down? She's gone!"

"Yes she is." Jack softly replied.

Hatter finally stopped raving long enough to look Jack in the eye. He could feel the tears building.

"I just stood here like an idiot, after babbling on at her like an idiot."

Jack smiled and put his hand on his shoulder. His face showed sympathy, not annoyance or indifference.

"Yes you did. So how are you going to redeem yourself?"

Hatter was taken aback. He had assumed that the King had come over to mock him, tell him how they both lost or something; but that wasn't the case at all.

"You know your majesty...I may have misjudged you."

Jack laughed. "I may have done the same with you." And with that he turned to another worker, making some sort of symbol but did not speak and the person quickly went out of sight. Hatter just gave the King a perplexed look. Jack in turn gave Hatter and reassuring smile.

"If you go in the next few minutes, the time difference shouldn't be too I am sure you are already aware, if you decide to leave, the Wonderland you leave today probably will be totally different if you were to ever want to return home."

Hatter turned to Jack, he allowed the reality to set in for a moment. He really didn't have many connections here but in the last few hours he had turned into a semi-celebrity and if he stayed he knew things would be different...and better. But even though this was his world, it seemed pointless if he had to be here without Alice. He didn't know what would happen if he went after her, but he knew he would never forgive himself or be truly happy if he didn't try to be with her. Plus he had always wondered about the oyster's world anyway and therefore it was a very easy decision.

"I want my home to be where ever Alice is." Hatter's voice shook a little when he made the statement. He was sure of his decision, but still the idea of throwing himself into a completely foreign world was a bit intimidating...and thrilling."

As if on cue the worker who had left a few moments before was back and walking up to them and handed Jack a wallet.

"Excellent answer. Here is some money, an address and a name of someone loyal to me who knows how to get you started in becoming acclimated to her world."

Hatter slowly took the wallet from Jack, he was overwhelmed at Jack's kindness. Hatter had been wrong, Jack did love Alice. Hatter slowly looked up extended his hand.

"Thank you."

Jack shook his hand and nodded.

" She doesn't live far from where you should land. But you need to get going, we need to reset the mirror to get more oysters to other parts of their world."

Hatter nodded. And then quickly looked around for Charlie.

"Charlie!"

Within seconds his very strange, yet very endearing friend was rushing up to him.

"Look, um Charlie...I'm leaving Wonderland, can you make sure the King is taken care of and Wonderland gets the makeover it deserves?"

Charlie's eyes showed a moment of sadness, but then he stood up straight and nodded.

"You have my word!"

Charlie then smiled.

"Ah, so you have chosen the path to reunite with JustAlice, is that it?"

"Yeah."

"Excellent, protect her, as I would. She is the muse for the poet, the sun to the darkness, the-

"Uh Charlie?"

"Oh...sorry."

"Thanks for everything, I was never one to have friends...but I'm grateful you took the time to be one to me."

"An honor, sir."

And with handshake, he turned to make his way to the mirror."

He glanced over at Jack one more time.

"Take care of her Hatter."

"I will."

He then turned to the man he had yelled at.

"Um, sorry about the whole freaking out at you thing."

The man cracked a small smile.

"Just try to remember to breathe."

---

Wham. Well so far the hard surfaces here felt like any other hard surface in Wonderland.

He stood up to assess his was outside a building, looked like it was under construction. His eyes caught yellow and it turned out to be a hard hat. Similar to his world, protection for the head while building he figured. He started to walk around, trying to get some sort of barrings. Is this how Alice felt when she had arrived in his world.

It was then that he saw her. She was lying on the ground not moving.

"Alice!"

He ran to her but she was still unconscious. He wanted to grab her and hold her, but she could have broken something on her fall back in, also could have hit her head. He needed help.

He figured there was only one thing he could do.

He jumped up and ran towards the street.

"Hello! Is anyone around, I need help here!"

"There's a woman here who needs help!"

Within a few moments he heard voices and footsteps.

---

As he stood in what they call hospitals, he couldn't believe how easy his con had been. He could have never known that taking time to learn about things in oyster world would come in so told the cops how he had been walking by and had heard a cat screech or something which got his attention and that's when he saw her. They completely bought it, and they definitely considered him not from around here so they treated him kindly and asked him about...England. He was able to over hear what hospital they were taking her to and after the questioning, the cops were nice enough to give him a ride to the hospital.

Not knowing what to do next he decided to observe. That was always a great help to him in the past and figured this would be no different. After a little while he noticed a woman with a panicked look on her face come rushing toward the front desk.

"Excuse me I was told my daughter Alice was brought in here just a little while ago. Can you tell me what room please?"

Hatter immediately perked up.

"What was the name of your daughter ma'am?

"Alice, Alice Hamilton."

"Yes mam' she is in on the 3rd floor.

It was now or never, he followed her onto the elevator.

"Excuse me, I don't mean to be nosy, but I overheard you speaking to the lady there and I think we may be concerned about the same woman."

The woman looked confused and a little wary at first.

"I found a woman unconscious in an alley way tonight. She was in a blue dress."

"You're the one who found my daughter?"

"I think I may be-"

Suddenly the woman was hugging him.

"Thank you so much, I cannot tell you how grateful I am."

"It was nothing, I am just glad I was in the right place at the right time."

How did you happen to find her, the police told me she was in the back corner of an alley way near a building under construction?

Hatter had to think fast and Alice's mom saying construction and remembering the yellow hard hat gave him his answer.

"Uh yeah well I am a construction worker on the building near where I found your daughter. It's embarrassing but I misplaced my hard hat. I was worried I had left it in a cab so I went back to see if it was still in the building. That's when I saw your daughter."

"Well again I can't thank you enough."

"Would it be okay if I just waited to see if she is okay?

Alice's mother's eyes lit up, she seemed truly touched that a stranger would take the time to be so concerned.

"How sweet of you, of course, once I see her I will come out and tell you how she is doing."

"Thank you so much."

"Its the least I can do Mr? I'm sorry where are my manners, what is your name?"

"Ha-...David."

Hello David, I'm Carol.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Carol."

And the woman you rescued is Alice.

A smile came to Hatter's lips as he thought of the girl he had gone through so much with in the past few days.

"Alice."

"Yes."

"Fantastic."

And with that they got off the elevator, Carol rushing up to the desk and back to her room while he tried to be patient waiting on word that she was alright. Well, he tried to look at the bright side as he paced up and down the floor, at least he had already gotten meeting the mother out of the way.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello. I figured it would be fun to keep going up to the point that they are reunited, so here is my continuing vision on what Hatter was up to after saving Alice and having a nice chat with her mom. I hope you all will enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with SyFy's Alice.

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He stood outside the building...her building. It had only been a day since he had left Alice's mother at the hospital but it still felt like an eternity. Even though he knew she was alright, there was still so much that he didn't know...like how she would react to him following her back to her world. He knew she had talked about him coming here, but now that she was back home, would she still feel the same or would she just want to forget all about her adventure?

He wondered how she was feeling about her dad; such a whirl wind of emotion. How do you deal with always holding on to the hope of finding someone after 10 years? Hatter ran his fingers through his now calm and flat hair. He looked down at his hat as his mind continued to dwell on Alice and wondering how she was feeling. 10 years of all kinds of thoughts and feelings. The hopeless feeling of being abandoned, then anger, then denial...believing with everything in you that the explanations were not right, that something out of your father's control HAD to happen for him not to come hack to you. Because you know your father would never leave you by his own will. Goodness knows what horrible ideas had come into her head over the years. He flinched as he remembered her tears as her father laid their lifeless. His heart ached for her loss. To think that she had finally found him after so long; Hatter didn't know all that had happened, but he was pretty sure he was able to decipher a lot from Alice and her father's brief conversation in the main casino room. Her father had not remembered her at first, but in that room he had come in and had proved to her that he had his memory back. So much happened so fast, right as they were in the middle of a beautiful moment of reuniting...he was taken from her again. It had been so heartbreaking to watch. No one should have to go through that kind of emotional havoc.

Hatter shook his head and exhaled trying to not get too upset. As he looked up at the building once again, a look of concern and melancholy came over his face. Maybe this was not the time to do this, she probably needed time to mourn, time to get her barrings again. And then he began to think of other scenarios. And none of these were helping his nerves...at all. Maybe she would just think it was a dream, that her hit to the head caused her to dream up this whole thing? Or the worst one would be that her hit to the head made her forget completely...to even think that she could look at him and not remember him... his heart started beating fast and it felt like knives were trying to push their way out of his stomach.

Hatter closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _Let's just try to stay positive right now...one thing at a time right? _

"Okay, this is it, it's time and it isn't even that big a deal. I mean you're just going up some stairs to an apartment, that nothing compared to being tortured by Mad March or being shot at by Dodo." Hatter said, trying to give himself the encouragement he needed to get his legs to move.

Just then someone was passing by. He looked to be in his teens and seemed to have an arrogant air about him.

"What did you just say to me, did you call me a dodo?"

Hatter was internally kicking himself.

"What? Did I call you- seriously? *Nervous laugh* No, no I was just talking to myself, pay me no mind."

"What's wrong with you dude?"

_How long do you have?_

"A lot actually."

"Oh I see a real wise guy." He could see this guy's body language, this was about to get ugly.

_Well so far my first full day here is going beautifully._

"Please, you have me all wrong I was just trying to talk myself into having enough guts to go see a girl-lady I am interested in, that's all. I promise it had nothing to do with you."

Immediately the guy's whole body softened and a smile came on his face.

"Oh you were calling yourself a Dodo bird for still standing out here, instead of going in there? Sorry man, I shouldn't have jumped on you like that."

Next thing Hatter knew this guy had put his arm on his shoulder...were most Oysters this wishy washy?

"Bro I have been there, it is tough but you can do it, the key is putting one leg in front of the other."

Hatter was totally confused...Bro? As in brother, a minute ago Hatter was pretty sure this guy wanted to put his fist into Hatter's face and now he was calling him a brother. Or was he plain out making fun of him?

"No seriously, I know it sounds like I am being a smart ass but really, that is the key, the legs being frozen keeps the nervousness growing and growing and you lose more and more confidence, once you move your legs, your body will less tense and you will be well on your way."

The guy seemed genuine, but in all honesty Hatter just wanted to get away from him at this point, which was the perfect motivator to do exactly what he said.

"Um...thanks, have a good day."

"You too man, I'm rootin for ya, you go get you some brother."

_Get you some? What an idiot._

And with that he put one foot in front of the other and headed into the building_._


	3. Chapter 3

Hello! This is my conclusion to my little take on the ending of Alice from Hatter's point of view. I hope all of you will enjoy it. Thanks for taking the time to read my story!

Disclaimer:SyFy owns this Alice and all it's characters and some of the dialogue. The rest is just what is inside my silly head.

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"Well this has been happening quite often lately" Hatter said to himself as he stared at a door. He had been able to get his legs to move and found his way to the door of Alice's apartment, but once again that whole legs freezing in place thing had happened again. And frankly it was irritating. He instinctively closed his eyes. In a second he began having flashes of Alice, what he felt when he first saw her, scared and wet in his tea shop. He had been immediately taken with her. Then the memory of sitting with her by the fire flashed before him; he had never been so jealous of anyone in his whole life as he was of this "Jack". Then rescuing her and the moment when they had almost kissed. He had never wanted a moment to happen so badly in all his life, but it was interrupted...maybe this time he wouldn't be.

He forced his eyes opened. A new sense of determination came over him and he forced himself to ring the doorbell. Within a few moments the door opened and Hatter had an immediate mixed reaction. In one way he was very grateful to see Alice's mother again and even more grateful that she seemed genuinely happy to see him. As much as he wanted to see Alice as soon as possible, seeing Carol instead meant that the possibility of a broken heart was postponed even if briefly. Yet he desperately wanted to see his Alice again, to get lost in her eyes, and he wanted to know how she was going to react to him being in her world...in her apartment.

"David!" Carol said excitedly and the next moment he was caught in a hug.

"Hello Carol, it is great to see you again....I hope it is okay that I came today."

Carol gave him a warm smile. "Of course it is, personally I think Alice would do better to not be lost in her own thoughts right now...I think meeting someone knew might just be the perfect thing for her. Will you excuse me a moment?"

"Alice, come meet David!"

It was at that moment that Hatter could feel the blood leaving his face. The anticipation was awful...what would she do when she saw him? He then remembered the man's words from when he had pushed both Alice and then himself through the looking glass...just remember to breathe.

The next moment she was in view, but she was looking down. Hatter gripped the hat in his hand a little tighter. Then she looked up. The moment seemed to take forever. He could see that she was shocked and then it was registering who he was...and then he saw her face light up. And in that split second, all the worry, all the fear, and taking the chance to leave all he knew behind...became well worth it.

"Hatter!" Alice exclaimed.

In what seemed like slow motion and yet in an instant, she ran into his arms. It was euphoric. This is what he had wanted so much, what he dared to hope for.

"Finally." He exclaimed. Just trying to take as much of her in as he could in their embrace; the smell of her hair; the strength of which she hugged him; and the beating of her heart.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you!" Alice whispered.

In that moment he allowed himself to pull away from her, to look at her beautiful blue eyes and allow himself to show her just how much he cared; just how happy he was to see her. He pulled her to him and gave her a passionate kiss.

When they pulled away, he allowed himself a brief moment to enjoy the aftermath of such an amazing kiss and the fact that all of this was really happening, she remembered who he was and was showing she had feelings for him. He couldn't think of a time when he had felt happier. There was so much he wanted to say, but he figured he would go with what was honest and to the point without getting into some overdone monologue. So he whispered, "I missed you."

After that he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again, so he did and they stayed that way for a long time,just enjoying each other. When they finally took a moment to catch their breath it occurred to him that he felt eyes on him and Alice. He turned to see a flabbergasted Carol looking at them.

"I...what...I just don't..." an exacerbated Carol tried to get out a question or at least a coherent thought, but neither was working for her.

Alice started to giggle a little and Hatter felt a twinge of guilt come over him.

"Uh yeah, Carol...I may have left out a few things when I met you in the hospital...you may want to sit down. Oh and just try to remember to breathe."

The End


End file.
